Desirée de Rabbitt: Happy New Year's Day everybody!

Well, it was an exciting night last night around here. First of all, there were lots of loud booms all over the place. I was somewhat startled at first, but recently I've learned that nothing humans do surprises me too much, so I settled in. More disturbing than the loud booms was the noise from the neighbors next door. Lots of people were coming in and going out, and they kept slamming their doors. I had to thump a few times to keep them quiet, and after a while I was able to keep them in line.

Fortunately for us, the smoke from the fireworks wasn't too bad here, so we could keep the windows and lanai door open.

I haven't told you about our lanai yet, have I? Well, it's a balcony outside of our living room and I'm not allowed out on it. The humans have devised what I must admit is a very ingenious system of barricades allowing them to pass by, but I have to stay inside and content myself with looking out.

Except one time - I got right past them. I was having so much fun looking at all the plants and the view, and then I ran smack right into this little plant that was really not very hospitable to me. I had to go to the doctor after that. I felt it was rather unprofessional of him when he looked at me and laughed, and after he laughed he had the nerve to ask if he could take my picture to show to his colleagues (whatever they are). Well, look for yourself, this is what I looked like. They said the plant was a "cactus". I'm not so interested in the lanai anymore.

That was me in the doctor's office waiting for him to take this nasty thing off my lovely ears.

Well, last night the family had to work for a while. They make lots of pretty jewelry, necklaces, bracelets and earrings - and you can always find a little rabbit charm included on them, so you can think of me when you wear them; they were stacking the pieces on the work table and I had to hop right up so I could inspect - after all, when you're part of a business called "Rabbitt in Paradise" and your name is involved and everything, you have to make sure they're doing everything just right. Right? So here I am looking over the merchandise, exercising my post as Quality Management Executive:

You know, it's very interesting to be part of a family that has big boxes around the house marked "diamonds", "rubies", "emeralds" and "sapphires" even if they aren't real ones.

So after they were finished working they all had a good time around the dining room table, which meant that I wasn't able to sit in my favorite chair (they can be so inconsiderate). they were doing something with some white rectangles and every once in a while someone would say something like "three hearts" or "two clubs" and I didn't know what was going on. I know someone got very upset once and said, "how do you like that - we didn't take a single trick" and another one said, "yes, and fortunately you only bid six no trump - doubled" and after that everything was very quiet for a while.

Now, a word about my schedule. I adhere rigorously to my schedule, after all, a girl needs a strict regimen to keep her beauty fresh. So, at promptly at ten o'clock in the evening (that's 22h for those of you who are reading this in Europe), I put myself to bed underneath my favorite dining room chair. I sleep soundly until 7:30 in the morning, at which time I go into my little room and clink my food dish to announce to the family that I am ready for breakfast.

Well, last night that was all gone and forgotten. The family stayed awake. And they stayed awake, and stayed awake. And just when I thought there was no end in sight, the plates came out and there was more food on the table, and there were lots of lighted candles all over the room. There was a lot of clinking of glasses. But best of all, I got an extra salad - long after my usual bed-time, and it was served to me on a great big special plate that I like. And then, as if that wasn't enough, they gave me a little dish with a few drops of fresh pear juice from the local health food store. It was quite a night.

Here I am after finishing my big midnight salad:

I hope everyone had as wonderful a New Year's Eve as I did, and I my wish for everyone is a healthy, happy and prosperous 2008!